5 Secrets To Being Persuasive

Whether you're selling a project, managing a team, or pitching a
new idea, knowing how to persuade others is often essential to
your success. If you can manage it without seeming pushy, that's
even better. Katya Andresen, the new
CEO of education network ePals, outlines five ways to do just
that in a recent post on LinkedIn.

While all of her points are good, the biggest takeaway is this:
make it about the other people and not about you. With that in
mind, here are her five secrets of persuasion.

1. Make the benefit immediate. People care about
immediate, tangible results. Don't tell them how their lives will
change in three months — let them know things will improve
tomorrow.

2. Make it personal. Along with caring about
immediacy, people also want to know their actions will benefit
people they care about. The personal connections are more
important than the "grand concept," Andresen writes. Make that
what counts in your pitch.

3. Speak to your audience's values. It's easier
to persuade people when you appeal to their opinions and beliefs.
"Make sure the benefit you are communicating is something others
seek — not just what you want," Andresen advises.

4. Know what you're up against. Be aware of what
else is out there, and be better than the competition. The idea
that you are selling to other people has to top any other offers
out there if you want it to succeed.

5. Be real. If what you're promising seems
unrealistic, people will know. So make sure you promise something
you can deliver on. "People need to believe in what you
communicate," Andresen explains. "You want to persuade by keeping
your promises."

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